Books
Football
Author and UCO professor Constance Squires will be reading from her book “Along the Watchtower” tonight. Page 5
Despite the rain, the Bronchos sting the Black Hills Yellow Jackets 30-17 for their second home win. Page 8
NOV. 1, 2011 uco360.com twitter.com/uco360
THE VISTA
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA’S student voice since 1903.
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DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS WEEK KICKS OFF WITH A PLEDGE
TRICK OR TREAT!
By Katelyn Rusnack / Contributing Writer UCO Commuter Student Services will be hosting a distracted driving awareness event on Tuesday, Nov. 1 as part of Commuter Off-Campus and Nontraditional Student Week. The event is being held to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Festivities will include free food, prizes, a goggle obstacle course and more. There will also be a GenTXT ‘driving while texting’ simulator, provided by the Tulsa Crime Commission. Students will be encouraged to sign pledge cards to make the roads a safer place by abstaining from texting, checking Facebook, tweeting, email, surfing the web and any other distracting behaviors. Upon pledging, students will receive a free keychain as a reminder of their pledge. Rachel Parks, coordinator of Commuter Student Services, said that texting is one of the main reasons people are involved in car collisions. “Taking the pledge against distracted driving is one more way UCO can try and make the roads, our campus and the community a safer place,” she said. “We want to make students aware of the dangers and get them involved to be the change in this community against distracted driving.” Their goal for this weeklong event is to have 300 students sign and pledge to not participate in distractions while driving. In addition to this event, Commuter Student Services will be offering Brunch in a Crunch: free breakfast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week in the different parking lots at UCO. They will also have a pledge station in the Nigh University Center food court from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Their goal for this weeklong event is to have 300 students sign and pledge to not participate in distractions while driving. President Don Betz and his staff pass out candy to children during the Child Study Center’s annual Halloween pa-
Athletics
rade, Monday, Oct. 31. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista
Housing
CRAZY FOR THE GAME
ROOM FOR EVERYONE By Ben Luschen / Staff Writer
By Bryan Trude / Staff Writer In the 1994 Rick Moranis movie “Little Giants,” former NFL defensive end Steven Emtman described the sport of football as being “80 percent mental, 40 percent physical.” For Beau Leaf, an undergraduate sports psychology intern with the UCO Hockey team, that is a philosophy on sports he lives every day, even considering Emtman’s less-thanstellar math skills. “My job [as a sports psychologist] is to help refocus athletes into their game and to help find their prime ability to perform,” Leaf, a UCO psychology senior, said. “I am able to help them relax through different relaxation techniques I can provide through one-on-one counseling and guided imagery exercises.” According to the Association for Applied Sports Psychology, sports psychology is about extending research and theory into the field to educate coaches, athletes and others about the psychological aspects of their respective sport. It involves individual or group consulting and counseling, dependent on the style of the practicing psychologist and the needs of the player or team. In a sport like hockey, a sport that naturally relies on a player’s aggression and propensity for physical violence, Leaf finds plenty of space to work.
“[In hockey] I’m here to help the players take that aggression and help them channel it in the right direction,” Leaf said. “I help them use it to help them bring it back to the simple parts of their game, such as skating, finding their position correctly, help them be able to channel their aggression back to the basics.” Athletes can have trouble channeling aggression and other feelings during games. According to Leaf, athletes face distractions from all around in game situations: from coaches yelling at them, the cheers and reactions of the fans, and even the pressures they feel from their own teammates. “You are your own worst critic as well, so it can be a difficult process for some people,” Leaf said. For Leaf, the draw to sports psychology began in high school, where he was looking at scholarships to Division I schools in track and field. When Leaf broke his ankle, ending his track career, he found himself alone and without the support he now provides to other players. “I lost everything. I didn’t have anyone to talk to, I wasn’t able to channel any of that out,” Leaf said. “Fortunately, I was able to find my direction, and I thought this is a way I can help individuals in my work everyday, and I
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WEATHER
Beau Leaf, UCO Hockey Sports Psychologist and Nutritionist, poses for a photo at Arctic Edge Arena in Edmond, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista
Grinnell College, a private liberal arts institution in Iowa, recently made headlines after adding gender-neutral locker rooms to their campus. The college already had added gender-neutral dorm rooms in 2008, becoming the first college in their state to offer such facilities. Grinnell is in no way unique, however. Several colleges and universities around the United States have already established living spaces for students of different genders to share. The push for such accommodations began to gain momentum in 2010 when Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi committed suicide after he learned his male roommate had recorded his romantic encounters with another man. According to the National Student Genderblind Campaign, at least 54 colleges nationwide have adopted some form of gender-neutral housing options. Some of these schools include The University of Michigan, Columbia University, Harvard University and the University of Chicago. To date, there are no colleges or universities in the state of Oklahoma that offer such an option. Dr. David Macey, UCO English department chair and faculty adviser to Central’s Gay Alliance for Tolerance and Equality (GATE), is also a supporter of “genderblind” housing options. “We know students of the same age, enrolled in the same schools have all kinds of living arrangements that are often gender-neutral,” Macey said. “I mean, they’re arranged because they’re convenient, people know each other and I really see no reason why that wouldn’t
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work in our housing.” Though Macey thinks the school should offer gender-neutral housing, he also makes it clear that the university should offer all different kinds of housing, including all-male, allfemale and gender-neutral. Josh Deacon, associate director of Housing and Dining at UCO, says he understands why several schools have adopted such facilities. “Some of the schools are doing it to help with the transgendered population,” Deacon
Graphic by Cody Bromley
said. ” [Students] are coming to school who are in the middle of a sex-change operation and depending on how the law is going to define that at the time, where is that student going to live?” Although he sees the purpose gender-neutral dorms have at some institutions, Deacon says to remember that UCO is a public univer-
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More weather at www.uco360.com
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DID YOU KNOW? In a 2004 episode of Sesame Street, Cookie Monster said that before he started eating cookies, his name was Sid.
OPINION
2
NOV. 1, 2011
THE VISTA 100 North University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 (405)974-5549 vistauco@gmail.com The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, semi-weekly during the academic year except exam and holiday periods, and only on Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained. EDITORIALS Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
What is your worst driving habit?
BAYLEE BOLTON
SARAH SCHORNICK
BRITTANY STANDARD
Freshman – Health Sciences
Junior – Psychology
Freshman – Art Education
LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, with a maximum of 150 words, and must include the author’s printed name, title, major, classification and phone number. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters. Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 730345209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be e-mailed to vistauco@gmail.com.
STAFF
Management
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Cody Bromley, Editor-In-Chief Christie Southern, Managing Editor Brittany Dalton, Copy Editor Trey Hunter, Sports Editor
Ben Luschen, Staff Writer Bryan Trude, Staff Writer Chris Howell, Staff Writer Josh Hutton, Staff Writer Mervyn Chua, Staff Writer Trevor Hultner, Staff Writer
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Kylee Turner
Garett Fisbeck, Photo Editor Liz Boyer
Circulation Joseph Choi
Adviser
“Not fully focusing on the road, worrying about people in the car, the radio, stuff like that.”
“Cursing at other people.”
“When you’re late somewhere.”
JOSEPH POWELL
BRANDON FITZGERALD
JUAN CARLOS-SMITH
Freshman – Business Accounting
Freshman – Psychology/Criminal Justice
Freshman –Graphic Design
Editorial Comic Evan Oldham
Mr. Teddy Burch
Editorial
WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD-FASHIONED WAR? The war in Afghanistan turned 10 a couple weeks ago. If you were born after about August 1991, you’ve lived more than half your life at a state of war. Oh, this war doesn’t affect day-to-day life here. There’s no rationing or carpooling for the war effort. If anything, the war seems to be petering out. The last U.S. troops will leave Iraq by the New Year. President Obama has vowed to end America’s combat role in Afghanistan in three years. While we have intervened in Libya and Pakistan, and tensions are flaring up again with Iran, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said that any major land invasions are a bad idea. So, why will Guantanamo continue to exist? These days, Al Qaeda is actively encouraging recruits...to stay away from them and act on their own. As an organization they’re nearly completely broken. Their leadership is either dead or captured. The idea that this country can detain people forever without trial is far more terrifying than any terrorist. They may not be entitled to the full protections and rights granted by the Constitution, but there can’t just be a limbo they fall into that’s outside any due process. Time and again, terror suspects fall into that gray area. Like the Abu Ghraib Scandal in 2004, or repeatedly handing prisoners off into countries that are less squeamish about torture. Like Afghanistan, where the UN just handed off a report that found more than half of detainees were tortured for confessions. This is looking less and less like isolated incidents, and more like policy. Are we still the good guys here? There’s little doubt that most of these people are scumbags who have or would take innocent lives just to make a political point, but gray areas like Guantanamo give terrorists grievances and more importantly, recruits. These areas are not only morally questionable, they don’t even make us more secure. They also give a certain prestige and martyrdom. These people are so terrifying to us, we bend all our rules to make sure they don’t come anywhere near us. Now, with a real end to the War in Terror in sight, why have we stopped talking about shutting down Guantanamo? It’s understandable that President Obama doesn’t want to broach the subject, with elections coming up and the outrage the last discussion provoked. But where is everybody else?
“Not looking when I’m turning, changing lanes and stuff.”
“Falling asleep.”
“Fiddling with my iPod while I’m driving.”
The Vista invites and encourages letters to the editor. Submitted letters are subject to editing for clarity, space and libel. Address your letters to : Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 73034-5209 Letters may also be e-mailed to vistauco@gmail.com or delivered to the Editor in person in Communications Building Room 131.
By Evan Oldham / Cartoonist
NEWS
NOV. 1, 2011 Community
3
Opinion
WELCOMED TO THE AMERICAN FAMILY
By Josh Hutton Refused to Comment New U.S. citizens were naturalized on Friday, Oct. 28 at the Western Oklahoma District Federal Courthouse in downtown Oklahoma City. Photo by M.A. Smith, The Vista
By M.A. Smith/ Contributing Writer Freedom, diversity and the American dream were themes for a recent naturalization ceremony, held Friday, Oct. 28 at the Western Oklahoma District Federal Courthouse in downtown Oklahoma City. Susan Scott, American Democracy Project (ADP) advisor, said she wanted her students to experience the ceremony because she wanted them to understand the different. “Because we are made up of so many different people, we need to understand where these people came from, some of their experiences and how hard it is to become a United States citizen,” Scott said. The struggle to become a U.S. citizen is not an easy one, she said. ”It’s not an inexpensive process. It costs a lot of money, time and effort,” she said. According to the U.S. Citizenships and Immigration Services (CIS) website, in most cases, applicants must be a legal resident for five years, speak English and know basic U.S. history and government. The Daughters of the American Revolution’s (DAR) Council Grove chapter passed out American flags to the applicants. Elizabeth Hays, DAR registrar and historian, said the flags represent important changes in their lives. “You [could see] the pride and joy in their faces today when they waved the small flags they were given.” She also said the flag will remind them of their sacrifice and hard work. “I have a friend who still has his flag from his ceremony almost 20 years ago, and there is always a sense of pride in his voice when he would tell me about the ceremony,” Hays said. Heather Wells, CIS naturalization examiner, petitioned the judges on behalf of the 99 applicants in attendance. The applicants stood as Wells presented them by their country of origin to the judges. She then testified the candidates, representing 33 countries, met all legal requirements. Debbie Reynolds, chief deputy clerk, administered the Oath of Allegiance. The applicants vowed to renounce all allegiances to former countries, in addition to promising to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. President Barack Obama then gave a televised statement and welcomed them as new citizens. “It’s an honor and a privilege to call you a fellow citizen of the United States of America. This is officially your country, your home to protect and defend, and to serve through active and engaged citizenship,” Obama said. Obama told the group to take citizenship seriously and help make America better. “With your new citizenship comes great responsibility. You
can help write the next chapter in our great history,” he said. Afterwards, the new citizens waved their flags and some cried as everyone watched a music video of Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA.” Chief Judge Miles-LaGrange then spoke to the group about their new citizenship. “Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow citizens, it is a distinct honor and pleasure to welcome every one of you as citizens of our country.” She acknowledged their work toward becoming Americans. “I know for some of you it’s been a long journey. You are to be commended on your perseverance and hard work in getting to this day,” she said. “I know that our country is better off by having each and every one of you as a new citizen.” The mood was lightened when Miles-LaGrange joked with the group. “We may see you again soon as jurors, and when you’re summoned…don’t try to get out of it,” she said as spectators laughed. The court upheld the tradition of having a naturalized citizen speak about her dreams and journey to citizenship. “We did not have enough money to sustain ourselves. Our house floor was made of dirt and some parts were constructed of cardboard,” Martha Rickman, owner of Clips ‘n Hips, dance studio and beauty salon in Oklahoma City, said about her struggles growing up in Columbia. Freedom is the greatest gift of being an American, she said. “Still having the freedom not to forget or reject my roots, my culture and where I came from makes me who I am today,” she said. “I have been fortunate to achieve my dreams, my American dream. You now have every door open so you can achieve your dreams.” A UCO student was also naturalized during the ceremony. Dania Ghassoub, nutrition major formally from Syria, said the ceremony was very important for her because it represents her dreams and aspirations of being successful. “It’s a very exciting opportunity. I’ve been here for a while, and finally, we did it.” After the ceremony was over, the UCO students set up a table in the hallway to help naturalized citizens register to vote for their first time. ADP member Katie Riddick said she was there out of a sense of duty. “It is important, it is our civic duty to become involved,” she said. “And, the best way to do that is to vote.” Representatives from several government agencies where there to help the new citizens apply for Social Security cards and educate them on the different government programs available to them.
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GENDER-NEUTRAL HOUSING sity and should be weary not to bite the hand that feeds. “We don’t have any plans to do it, not to say that it would never happen, but I think in the state of Oklahoma it might be a little more difficult to get that to go over well,” he said. “It’s a state institution and if we were to do something like that we’d want to make sure the people of the state were supportive of that.” Deacon also acknowledges concerns parents would have about the possibility of their freshman daughter or son living with someone of the opposite gender. He also points out that UCO simply does not have the facilities to provide things such as separate bathrooms for single-room dorms with opposite-sexed roommates. Though UCO does not directly offer gender-neutral dorms, there are suites available that allow those of different genders to share a living space, but with separate bedrooms. Central has also purchased a few houses on the edge of campus for married couples; however, space is very limited and there is a waiting list for such accommodations.
UCO once offered what could be defined as gender-neutral apartments for married couples on campus, but these facilities were soon dismissed after cost became an issue. “Whenever we began to look into the cost of renovating those and getting them up to fire code and some other things, by the time we got all that work done we were going to be more expensive than off-campus apartments and no one would live with us anyway,” Deacon said. Though these facilities no longer exist, Deacon said the school would consider adding more options like this if there was more demand for such a living spaces. Deacon adds Housing has seen a lack of demand for other gender-neutral spaces as well. “We have not [received any request for gender-neutral housing],” he said. “Not that I don’t think there’d be some students that [would want such accommodations]. I’m sure there are students who are living off campus with friends, or what you classify as gender-neutral
where you’d have a house with guys and girls in it, and that it works. But as a state institution, we have a responsibility to be very careful about those types of decisions.” According to Macey, many different kinds of institutions can be unaccommodating without realizing it or intending to do so. “There is that kind of heteronormativity, we could say,” Macey said. “We just assume, until it’s proven otherwise, that everyone is heterosexual, so we’re not really sexuality neutral in our dealings with each other.” Macey says it is in the overall best interest of the university to welcome all different types of living arrangements. “UCO has big issues with retention, a lot of people drop out, but people who live on campus tend to be less likely to leave, less likely to drop out,” he said. “I think in the interest of the academic program and student success if to provide students with the kind of living arrangements that are most convenient and most appropriate in their own judgment as mature adults.”
I’ve worked for The Vista for nearly two years. In that time, I’ve heard a hearty amount of criticism – which is good. The Vista not only provides information relevant to members of the UCO community, but must also be regarded as a teaching tool for future journalists. Criticism strengthens the hide of writers and photographers, as well as increases skill level. However, The Vista’s ability to cover key stories is now being hindered by groups and faculty members on campus refusing to talk to reporters. Reporters are demonized as snaky, wannabe muckrakers out to disembowel the everyday practices of the university. The Volunteer Service Learning Center (VSLC), several professors and the Broncho football coaching staff have all refused to take interviews within the last year. Denying interviews dominoes into a wild Mexican standoff where every participant leaves the shootout crippled. First, it denies education to journalism students, then it removes a vital component of a news story from readers, and finally a “refused to comment” following an organization’s name is the worst possible reflection that can be penned. “Refused to comment” acts as the equivalent of going to a murder trial covered in blood and boasting the Fifth Amendment. The writing staff of The Vista changes more often than my undergarments, yet professors often refuse to take interviews based solely on a bad experience with a previous writer. We are asking for a basic level of respect between reporters and faculty members. We must act like adults, not kindergarteners engaged in a sandbox war of silence and irrational allegiance. In a similar manner, recently the Broncho football coaches refused to take interviews citing a “negative” depiction of the team in print. Once again, facts are mistaken for abuse. UCO’s football record currently rests at 2-7. We are not in the business of polishing up poor play. Win more games and more stories will be written about a winning team. Everyone has an obligation to the truth. Whether a reporter or an interviewee, a democracy only works when all elements of truth enter the arena to war with falsity. If a reporter misquotes you, writes inaccurately about you, or is rude during an interview, please contact the newspaper. Call it in or write a letter to the editor. This way a retraction can be printed if necessary, and your voice can be clearly heard on campus. The First Amendment specifically mentions a free press in order to preserve democratic freedoms. The press does not actively seek ways to leave you for the vultures. Silence does not garner solutions. Dialogue is required on both sides. Make UCO’s student voice better, make the public more informed, and make your part of the story clearly understood.
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NEWS
NOV. 1, 2011
Campus Clubs
Campus Organization
HOW DO YOU SAY TALENT? IRANIAN STUDENTS BRINGING HOME CULTURE TO CENTRAL
The Iranian Student Association will host a series of events in the month of November, highlighting their home country. By Chris Howell / Staff Writer
Linh Thai and Florian Larbalestier, along with two other group members, performed “Soulman” in French at the Fall 2011 Modern Languages Talent Show, Thursday night at the UCO Jazz Lab, Oct 27, 2011. Photo by Liz Boyer, The Vista
By Caitlin Cinotto / Contributing Writer UCO student group performers Linh Thai, Florian Larbalestier, Andrew Ee and Benjamin Soon won first place cash prizes at the UCO Modern Languages Talent Show, held Thursday night at the UCO Jazz Lab. Individual performer Blaize Dicus was also awarded a first place cash prize. The talent show started at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 with an introduction from Modern Language Chair Dr. Rudi Nollert. The show attracted an estimated crowd of 50 people, the majority of which included UCO students and professors. “It felt so awesome to hear our names called for first place,” Linh Thai, a senior majoring in international business, said. The winning group competed against seven other acts which ranged from poetry readings
to skits or vocals. The winning group sung “Soulman” by Ben L’oncle Soul, in French, to reflect France’s language and culture. The individual winner, Dicus, competed against six other solo-vocalists. He sung “Da Zhong Guo (Big China)” in Chinese, to reflect China’s language and culture. The second-place individual winner was Jason Robletto, who sung an original song, “Ojos Abiertos,” in Spanish. “I am so glad I was able to come tonight and see all of the different language and culture acts. It was very inspiring,” Megan George, a junior majoring in nutrition, said. “I love coming to these things,” Spanish professor Lourdes Carroll said. “It is as important as going to class because you learn about so many different cultures.”
The Iranian Student Association (ISA) invites members of the American Democracy Project (ADP), as well as students and faculty, to learn about the history and culture of Iran. “We believe that politics does not reflect the true side of Iran, and what is reported in media and news is mostly regarding politics, which gives a very narrow perspective about Iran,” Yaser Dorri, president of the ISA, said. “What we would like to do is broaden that perspective, so people can learn about the history and culture of Iran. If you have that knowledge, you can have your political perspective as well.” On Nov. 4, the ISA will have a class to teach Farsi at 1:30 p.m. in room 111 of the Education building. Farsi is the language of Iran and Afghanistan, as well as approximately 110 million speakers around the world. The association will also have a booth at the ISC international fair on Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will also also air Iran’s Persepolis on Nov. 11. “It’s about the culture, it’s about an American who goes to Iran and interviewed different people, went to the Jewish community and asked them questions. We are going to show that to give information about Iranian culture,” Dorri said. The association also has more tentative plans. They hope to add activities such as soccer and chess, as well as another documentary on Dec. 2. They also want to air Iranian movies that have won international film festival
awards. While the ISA have so far only invited ADP members to participate, they would like to cooperate with the ADP in the future. Dorri said the ISA would like to invite an Iranian official to the campus next semester to answer questions from students. “I think people have a lot of questions about Iran that go unanswered,” he said. “We can ask U.S. officials about the U.S. policy towards Iran, but if you want ask questions about the Iranian government, why not just ask them? That way, we can have a better perspective about the country.” Iran has been the subject of attention for its controversial uranium enrichment program, which Israel and the United States claim is a cover to secretly develop nuclear weapons, but Iran maintains is for civilians. It was also one of the first countries to experience the Arab Spring, a series of uprisings and protests against governments in Arab countries that are popularly seen as undemocratic. The protests attracted international attention, especially when social media was used to document their suppression. “We’re not going to assume people have a negative perception of Iran. We are just trying to introduce the truth,” Dorri said. “If you turn on the TV and Iran’s nuclear energy program is on the news, they might say negative things. That’s just a negative thing you’ll hear in the media, but do you know about Iran? No.”
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SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST can see how I am assisting or hindering someone’s work. I can see the reward.” Despite not enjoying a visible role on most athletic stages, sports psychologists can be in high demand, especially in some sports. “Golf is the sport that uses sports psychology more than anyone,” Leaf said. “Golfers are very pretentious individuals when it comes to athletics, they have a harder time focusing for some reason. That’s something even the most famous psychologists have a problem with. Tiger Woods to this day still uses one, a man who should be on top of the world and is not
at all because he cannot refocus.” Leaf readily admits that when he started practicing with the hockey team last season, it took a little while for the players to warm up to him. “It was rough at first,” Leaf said. “Simply, they didn’t know who I was or what I did. As more and more individuals came to me, the rest began to follow suit. They’ll come at me ten at a time now.” One of the techniques Leaf, who stands behind the bench with the rest of the coaches during games, can be seen employing with
players is what he calls the Self-Talk technique. Similar to the catchphrase used by Al Franken’s Stuart Smalley character from Saturday Night Live, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me,” SelfTalk involves Leaf helping a player select three phrases or cues. The cue can be something such as “I am a good skater,” and is used to direct attention to a particular point of performance the player is good at, and repeat it either aloud or mentally to help the player regain or improve their
focus. For Leaf, regardless of the sport in question, the benefits of a sports psychologist are immeasurable on and off the field. “It helps players not just in their game, but in life,” Leaf said. “These athletes, they’re coming of age. You have a lot of issues there by itself, so it can help them prioritize where they need to be, what they need to focus on, and in turn it will also help them perform better.”
NEWS
NOV. 1, 2011
5
Literature
UCO AUTHOR TO READ FROM BOOK By Trevor Hultner / Staff Writer UCO Associate Professor of Creative Writing Constance Squires will be reading an excerpt from her recent book, Along the Watchtower, today at 7:00 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the Nigh University Center. The event is free to the public. Vista: Can you give a quick synopsis of the plot of Along the Watchtower, and where you pulled your inspiration from? Squires: Well, do you want the plot, or do you want how I started writing it? Vista: Both would be alright, but the plot first, if that’s okay. Squires: Okay. Well, it’s about an Army family that is stationed over in Germany, and then later stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. It takes place in the last decade of the Cold War; the 80s through the early 90s. The final culminating scene is when the father, Major Collins, comes back from the first Gulf War. And it’s about this family, and they’re sort of deteriorating; the family experiences a divorce. The main character is Lucinda, she’s the eldest daughter. She’s sort of growing up in the middle of all this. She uses rock ‘n’ roll as a way to cope, and as a way to find her own tribe. Vista: Are you a rock ‘n’ roll fan yourself? Squires: Yeah I am, I definitely am. I was a military brat myself, and I always found that music was one of the only things that was the same wherever you went, you know? You could listen to a song and it was like a room that you could walk into where the furniture was always in the same place. And there was no other stability like that in my life, so it was important to me. Vista: It also seems like Lucinda’s story is based off your personal experiences as an Army brat and as a part of that culture. Squires: Yeah, a little bit. I mean, the events of the story never happened, but I lived in those places and I was an Army brat, and the rock ‘n’ roll thing really was important to me. So I feel really comfortable writing about these people and these places, even though the plot is fabricated. Vista: So, how did you start formulating the idea for Along the Watchtower? Squires: Well, it started off as short stories, and they didn’t even seem connected to me at the time. I had this story about this Nazi ghost, I had this story about this GI with a record collection, and I started publishing those. It got me an agent, and the agent talked to a bunch of publishers in New York, and all these different publishers all said the same thing. They all said, “You know, no one has really written about Army families, and that’s a huge part of our culture, and we really need that in our literature. And she can write a collection of short stories on that and we’d be really interested.” So I did that, I took a couple of years and did that. And then he took it back to them and they said, “You know, if she turned it into a novel it would reach a wider audience.” So then I had to sort of dismantle the short stories and turn them into a novel. So it was a long process. It was kind of involved. Vista: A lot of changing plots around subtly to fit with the overarching story. Squires: Yeah. Oh yes, there was a lot of that, yeah. Vista: What was the kind of rock ‘n’ roll that you listened to growing up and moving around? Squires: Well, what was really important to me was alternative music, was punk rock music, but I didn’t always know about that. And so the character starts off just sort of knowing the stuff that’s on the radio at the time. She’s 13 when the book opened. So the first musical reference is like, Blue Öyster Cult or something, you know? And then she meets this character named Nately, who is this GI, and he just shames her. He’s just like, “You’re not allowed to have that Journey in your record collection, you’re not allowed to listen to the Eagles, I’m sorry.” And then he kind of schools her, and so she learns about that. And I think the story ends in 1991, so most of the stuff that I really cared about and was interested in was stuff that came out after that. I had to keep true to the historical period. I think the last concert she goes to was X. Hüsker Dü is a really important band to her. Vista: And a great band, as well.
Squires: Yeah, absolutely! Vista: This sounds really interesting. Squires: Yeah! Definitely. It’s a fun read, from what I’ve been told. People have been like, “Yeah, I read that in one sitting!” and I’m like, “Are you kidding me? It took me like, a couple of years to write and you read it in one sitting?” But I guess that’s a good thing. I sent copies of Along the Watchtower to the members of those two bands, Hüsker Dü and X, and I was just like, “Hey! I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and here’s my book, and you’re in it!” Vista: Did you get a message back from Bob Mould, or someone? Squires: Yeah, I did! Not Bob Mould, actually, but Grant Hart. I got a nice little note back. So yeah, I was just like, the total fan. I was like, “I’m signing my book to you because I LOVE YOU!” Vista: I saw on your Liberal Arts profile that you’re releasing American Thighs next year in the Atlantic Monthly. Can you talk about that? Squires: Oh God, what is that? No, American Thighs – that’s not right. Oh, wow. I need to update that. The Atlantic Monthly was a magazine that published one of these stories, and the original title of this story was American Thighs. It was published a couple of years ago, and man, I didn’t know that it still said that anymore, I need to update my page. Vista: I’m sorry. Squires: Oh, no, I’m glad you told me about it. Yeah. But it was actually the story about Lucinda and her friendship with the GI with the record collection, and American Thighs was a reference to that line in AC/DC’s song “You Shook Me All Night Long.” She’s sort of asking him about that, and he’s embarrassed, you know. He’s like, “Oh, I can’t explain this to you.” Vista: Music purist. Squires: Yeah, yeah. Vista: I’m glad I brought that up, then. Squires: Yeah, I’m glad you did, too! My gosh, I’ve gotta update that. Vista: Did you write your dissertation with these stories? Squires: Yeah. My dissertation was four of the stories that ended up going into being part of the novel. And then six other stories that were completely different, they were just completely different characters and subjects not related to this at all, and so it was not by any stretch of the imagination the same book, but it was sort of a germ, the germinal project. Vista: Isn’t Along the Watchtower referencing a Jimi Hendrix song? Why’d you pick that? Squires: I’ll tell you, the part of the reference in the song that was important to me was the part where it says, “All along the watchtower/ Princes kept the view/ While the women came and went/ Barefoot servants, too.” Which is describing these soldiers up there on the wall, watching, while behind the fort, the families are going about their lives. And I thought that was just a perfect metaphor for what the American troops were doing over there in Germany when it was the front line, you know, because it was the Cold War and there was the Iron Curtain. And so I thought well, that’s what I’m trying to show, is that little line right there. But then it also has the rock thing, so it was like the two threads kind of met in that lyric. And actually, it’s a Dylan song, and Hendrix covered it. Lucinda learns that in the book. She’s amazed. She’s like, “No! It’s Hendrix,” and Nately corrects her.
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Author and associate professor of creative writing Constance Squires will be reading from her book “Along the Watchtower” tonight in the Heritage Room of the Nigh University Center at 7:00 p.m. Photo Provided
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Across OCT. 27 CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SUDOKU
Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.49)
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1. Children’s vacation place 5. Spiked wheels on 8 boot heels 10. Burst of wind 14. Sundae topper, 3 perhaps 15. Fort Knox unit 6 16. “I’m ___ you!” 17. Legal status in two 4 countries (2 wds) 20. Vertebrate with em7 bryonic sac 21. Figures of speech? 5 22. Carbonium, e.g. 23. Notch in a battle2 1 ment 24. Barley bristle 8 26. ___ song (2 wds) 29. “___ who?” 7 31. Account 32. Comparatively FUN FACT cockamamie 35. “Over” follower in In the 16th century, gin was referred to as “moth- the first line of “The er’s ruin” because people thought it could induce Caissons Go Rolling abortions. Along” 37. Protection to foreign persecuted persons (2 UNDER the pursuit of . wds) 40. Caught in the act 41. Happening every school session 42. Basic unit of money in Romania 43. Common request (acronym) 45. Colors 46. Driver’s lic. and others 47. Vibrations detected by ears 50. Air letters? 52. School custodian 54. Free from dirt 58. Pertaining to the chemical action of electricity 60. Ditch 61. Pouts 62. Addition column 63. Amount to make do with 64. All in 65. “___ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto)
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THE VISTA
Down 1. Conclusion 2. Jack-in-the-pulpit, e.g. 3. No significance 4. Salk’s conquest 5. “Laugh-In” segment 6. Cracker spread 7. Altdorf is its capital 8. Gillette product 9. About 1.3 cubic yards 10. Date exclusively (2 wds) 11. Joining of political antagonists (pl.) 12. Ado 13. First-rate 18. Duck meat slowly cooked in its own fat 19. Your grandmother (pl.) 23. False reports 24. “The Sound of Music” backdrop 25. Beau 27. “Don’t bet ___!” (2 wds) 28. Dash 30. Pivoted 33. Estimated Lean Meat Yield (acronym) 34. Abnormal respiratory sound 36. Flightless flock 38. Bills 39. Modus operandi 44. Short shot 48. Standards 49. Sag 51. Ralph of “The Waltons” 52. Come together 53. ___ vera 54. Chinese dynasty from 557-589 55. “___ we forget” 56. ___ souci 57. “... or ___!” 59. Nod, maybe
SPORTS
NOV. 1, 2011
7
Central Soccer
SOCCER KICKS IN 15TH STRAIGHT WIN By Bryan Trude / Sports Writer
UCO’s Miranda Thorne (9) fights for a ball with Northeastern’s Rachel Sordahl (13) during a college soccer game between UCO and Northeastern State at Thompson Field in Edmond, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista
When the UCO Women’s soccer team lost their third consecutive game to open the season 0-3, a 0-3 shutout by Abeline Christian University back on Sept. 7, it was beginning to look like a long season for Mike Cook and his young Bronchos squad. Fast forward to today; that seems like a distant memory as the Bronchos downed rival Northeastern State University 2-0 Sunday, Oct. 30 at Tom Thompson Field to extend their impressive 15 game win streak. The #20 Bronchos (15-3) went up early against the Riverhawks (11-4-3) on a goal by senior Katy Kashwer in the 10th minute after heading in the cross from Nawal Kirts. UCO’s leading scorer, Brittni Walker, added the insurance goal in the 20th minute off the pass from senior Ashton Morris. The Bronchos outshot the Riverhawks 104, with Central phenom goaltender, freshman Brandi Bartley, turning away two shots. UCO senior Samantha Rusk had an additional save in the closing minutes. NSU leading scorer Rachel Sordahi was held to no shots on goal by a shutdown UCO defense led by Miranda Thorne. “It’s unbelievable,” Head Coach Mike Cook said. “To start the season 0-3 and then win 15 in a row is phenomenal. It’s a testament to these girls and their belief in what we’re doing. That’s just unheard of.” After scoring just one goal in its first three games, UCO broke the skid and began their streak with a Sept. 10 win over Southwest Baptist University, a 4-0 obliteration.
That win over the Bearcats marked a turning point, beginning with Bartley taking over as starting goaltender. Over the next 15 games, the freshman from Tulsa would only allow four goals, with UCO outscoring opponents 40-4 over that stretch. “I’m really proud of our girls, how we finished our season by rebounding to end at 153,” Kashwer said. “I’m really proud of our team and how much we’ve accomplished now.” The UCO resurgence on the offensive side of the ball was led by Walker, who led the team with 10 goals going into Sunday’s game against NSU. Junior Stephanie Fleig entered the match as Central’s assist leader with six. The Broncho offense was an unrelenting barrage this season, outshooting their opponents 280-179, outscoring opponents 41-11 on the season. Now, UCO waits for conference tournaments to wrap up and will know their fate when regional tournament seeds are announced Nov. 7. Cook, who is confident Central will make the cut, is instead hoping the Bronchos get the chance to host a regional tournament match. “We’re in a very good spot, we finished second in the latest [regional] rankings,” Cook said. “We’ve won all our games. If we can finish three or four, we have a very good shot.” UCO’s McKenzie Caldwell drew a yellow card for a foul on NSU in the 61st minute. The Riverhawks earned a team yellow in the 71st minute.
Central Hockey
UCO HOCKEY SPLITS WITH ARIZONA STATE By Bryan Trude / Sports Writer Travelling to Tempe on the wave of a six-game losing streak, the UCO Men’s Hockey team managed to put that ghost to rest. The team split a series against the #4 Arizona State University Sun Devils Friday, Oct 28 and Saturday, Oct 29 at ASU’s Oceanside Ice Arena. Despite losing team co-captain Patrick Biron to a groin injury, the #20 Bronchos (6-7) went into the first game against ASU (11-2) looking to post their first win since an upset of then-#2 Adrian College at the ACHA Showcase in early October. ASU jumped to a 2-0 lead by the middle of the second period. ASU’s Colin Hekle put the Sun Devils on the board in the first on a play that saw UCO’s Nolan Hopkins
suffer a dislocated shoulder, then jumping further ahead in the second on a wrister from Dan Styrna. The Bronchos were able to tie it up by the end of the second period, though, beginning with a Shane Khalaf goal on the assist from JM Biron, Patrick’s twin brother. Senior forward Patrick Higgins then added the tying goal after creating a breakaway opportunity on ASU netminder Corey Frank. “It speaks volumes of the character of this team to battle back to tie it up when you’re on the road at the #4 team in the nation,” Head Coach Craig McAlister said. JM Biron put UCO ahead in the third period on the powerplay, tipping in a shot by forward Nolan Grauer with an assist by UCO points leader Donald Geary. A late goal by ASU’s Kale Dolinsky
on UCO goaltender Tory Caldwell sent the game into a shootout. Shootout goals by Geary and Corey Brennan on Frank were enough to propel UCO to the victory, bringing their skid to an end. The Sun Devils came roaring back in the second game Saturday, jumping to an early 3-0 lead over Central in the first period before Tyler Benson put the Bronchos on the board at the five minute mark. Benson scored on a breakaway on Sun Devils netminder Mark Schacker, courtesy of assists from Hopkins and team co-captain Luke Ward. “The bench was always positive and was mentally tough even when we were down 2-0 in the first game and 3-0 in the second,” McAlister said. “I would saw we have a very good attitude after splitting with ASU and are pumped to come back
home.” UCO was able to knot the score at 3-3 early in the second off goals by Ward and Peter Kressner, with Anthony Knuth and Harris. ‘However, as Central cranked up the offensive pressure on the forecheck, ASU began to take advantage. The Sun Devils retook the lead on a breakaway goal by David Jantzie after a puck cleared into the ASU zone by Benson hit him in the helmet. After ASU closed out the second on a rebound goal by Ryan Eaker to go up 5-2, a pair of breakaway goals in the third was enough to give ASU the 7-3 victory. The score, McAlister said, is deceptive of how close the game truly was. Now, the Bronchos return home to take on the Division II University of Texas Longhorns, a two-game se-
ries beginning this Friday, Nov. 4 at Arctic Edge Ice Arena. The Longhorns (2-11) are coming off a series that saw them fall to the University of Arizona Wildcats by a combined score of 26-0. “We’ll see how things shape out in the series, but we are taking nothing for granted,” McAlister said. “We need to defeat the Longhorns and pick up the points. Hopefully we can pack the stands this weekend to see us take two from Texas.” McAlister said he feels it is important for the hockey team, as well as important to the school and the students of UCO. The puck drops against the Longhorns at 7:30. Admission is $7, $5 for UCO students and faculty, and free for children under five.
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SPORTS
NOV. 1, 2011
Central Football
RUNNING FOR THE HILLS By Bryan Trude / Sports Writer The UCO Bronchos came into an early Thursday matchup against Black Hills State University playing for little more than pride, desperately looking for a victory. They got what the sought, downing the Yellowjackets of Swordfish, S.D., 30-17 in a cold and wet affair at Wantland Stadium. The Bronchos (2-7) went up early, needing only a minute and a half to earn their first score of a 34yard Joshua Birmingham rush that saw them draw more of a challenge from the weather than the visiting team at times. Play was stopped five minutes into the first quarter for a 30-minute weather delay. “It’s a good feeling to come out with a win,” Anthony Anderson, junior defensive back, said. “The team is under a lot of pressure all the time, especially with not the best season going on. To come out here and just get the win, this type of win, it really brings the spirits up.” The game marked the second consecutive start for junior QB Landon Greve, who went 25-44 on the night for 283 yards and an interception. Greve has been the starter since last week’s loss to Fort Hays State University. At the time, UCO Head Coach Tracy Holland had said he decided to sit regular starter Ethan Sharp due to being “banged up.”
There were two drives where Sharp came in under center, going two for six for -3 yards. “In every game there’s adversity, so we always got to make changes,” Tanner Koons, freshman defensive back, said. “We just try to do the best of what our coaches tell us to do.” Birmingham anchored the UCO offensive effort, rushing for 142 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries, two of those touchdowns coming before the half. Only a 27-yard field goal by BHSU kicker Devin Rounds allowed the Yellowjackets to enter the half with points on the board, trailing Central 20-3. Black Hills State pulled within three during the third quarter, scoring on touchdown runs by QB Wes Kragt and RB Bryar DeSanti. These were the only bright spots of an overmatched BHSU attack, with Kragt finishing seven for 28 passing with 86 yards and an interception. Kragt also led an impotent rushing attack for the Yellowjackets, netting 47 yards on QB scrambles. DeSanti finished with 12 yards on eight carries. The final nail was put in the Yellowjackets’ coffin on a Birmingham TD run five minutes into the final frame, with a 28-yard field goal by Chris Robbs at the four-minute mark to pad the lead. Robbs was 3 for 4 on field goals,
UCO’s Preston Paine (77) hugs Joshua Birmingham (21) after a touchdown during a game between UCO and Black Hills State at Wantland Stadium in Edmond, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista
missing a 23-yard attempt in the closing minutes of the third. “It always feels good to win at home,” Koons said. “We did a good job of staying real positive this week. We came out flat last week, we came out with a lot of emotion and managed to get the win.”
UCO will be back in action Saturday, Nov. 5 as they host the Northeastern State University Riverhawks for the President’s Cup. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. NSU (6-5) is coming off of a 4213 mauling of Southwestern Oklahoma State as they will close out
their road schedule at Wantland Stadium riding a five-game win streak. “We have just got to do the little things; watch more film, do more in practice, make every rep count,” Koons said.
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BucktheNorm.com/ empowerment Fans shield themselves from the rain during a game between UCO and Black Hills State at Wantland Stadium in Edmond, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista
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